By Catherine Tharin

In silence Malcolm-x Betts and Ella Dawn W-S lightly touch as they struggle to balance. Their bodies are close, and the shapes of their bodies, often with one leg in back attitude while slowly revolving, respond in like-shapes to the other. Except for the spot lit couple, the lighting at CPR – Center for Performance Research in Brooklyn, is dim. He, bare-chested, wears a bright orange Speedo, knee pads, long white socks, and sneakers (later to don a blue and white striped bathing suit), while she is dressed in black underwear, light-colored sports bra, a pad on her right knee, and sneakers. Thus begins Malcolm-x Betts’ multi-scene 60m work, what happens when things become undone? an improvisational duet on Blackness, abstraction, love and grief.

CPR – Center for Performance Research, which has supported more than 1700 artists in the development of dance and performance projects, is thrilled to announce its 2020 Artist-in-Residence: J. Bouey, mayfield brooks, cruz control collective, Parijat Desai, Stuart B. Meyers, Christopher Núñez, Londs Reuter, Cyrah Ward, Nami Yamamoto, and Lu Yim. These ten dance artists will receive 150 hours – an increase of 50 hours from previous years – of deeply subsidized rehearsal space, advance booking privileges, various performance and community engagement opportunities, and for the first time, artists will receive a $1000 stipend. CPR will welcome the 2020 AiRs in January, as CPR’s 2019 AiRs culminate their residencies at Sunday Salon on January 12, 2020.

Center for Performance Research (CPR), an artist- driven organization co-founded by Jonah Bokaer & Chez Bushwick and John Jasperse & Thin Man Dance, Inc. to support the development of new works in contemporary dance, announced today its first ever fully supported technical residency offering artists access to a completely customizable performance space and laboratory.CPRs 1,845 sq ft theater features a LED lighting system; making it one the most technically advanced venues of its size offering technical residencies within the five boroughs. The inaugural residency, generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, will support the work of artist collective The Median Movement comprised of choreographers Xan Burley and Alex Springer, sound designer Will Owen, movement artist Hsiao-Jou Tang, and lighting designer Andy Dickerson. The Median Movement will be in residence at CPR from May 1-7, 2016.